KAMPALA, Uganda – The Holy See has appointed Archbishop Tomasz Grysa as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda, filling a vacancy left by Archbishop Luigi Bianco’s transfer in May 2025.
The appointment was announced today by the Apostolic Nunciature in Uganda in a statement signed by Rev. Fr. Georges Kwami Kouwonou, Chargé d’Affaires a.i.
“The Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has appointed His Excellency Most Rev. Tomasz Grysa, Titular Archbishop of Rubicon, as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda,” the statement read.
Archbishop Grysa has been serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, Seychelles and Mauritius, as well as Apostolic Delegate to Comoros and La Réunion.
Born on Oct. 16, 1970, in Poznań, Poland, Tomasz Krzysztof Grysa was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Poznań on May 25, 1995. He holds a doctorate in Canon Law and joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 1, 2001.
Over the years, he has served in several key diplomatic missions, including the Russian Federation, India, Belgium, Mexico, Brazil, Israel, and the Apostolic Delegation in Jerusalem and Palestine. He also worked at the Holy See’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
In September 2022, Pope Francis appointed him Titular Archbishop of Rubicon and Apostolic Nuncio to Madagascar, alongside his role as Apostolic Delegate to the Comoros Islands. He was later named Nuncio to Seychelles in February 2023 and Mauritius in March 2023. He was consecrated bishop on Nov. 1, 2022.
Archbishop Grysa speaks Polish, Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. His episcopal motto, Adoro te devote (“I adore you devoutly”), reflects his Eucharistic spirituality.
The Apostolic Nuncio serves as the Pope’s personal representative to both the Ugandan government and the Catholic Church in the country. The Apostolic Nunciature in Kampala, located on Mbuya Hill, plays a key role in relations between the Vatican and Uganda, including the appointment of bishops and support for the Uganda Episcopal Conference.
Archbishop Grysa’s appointment comes at a significant moment for the Ugandan Church, with several dioceses expected to undergo leadership transitions. He will play a central role in the process of appointing a new Ordinary for Jinja Diocese, while other dioceses such as Kabale have bishops who have reached the canonical retirement age of 75.
Uganda remains home to one of Africa’s largest and most vibrant Catholic communities. According to the 2024 national census, Catholics number about 16.99 million people, representing nearly 37% of the population. The Church continues to play a major role in education, health care and social development, while the witness of the Uganda Martyrs remains central to the country’s Catholic identity.
Archbishop Luigi Bianco, Archbishop Grysa’s predecessor, served as Apostolic Nuncio to Uganda from 2019 until his reassignment to Slovenia and Kosovo in May 2025. Fr. Kouwonou has since overseen the day to day operations of the Nunciature.
No date has yet been announced for Archbishop Grysa’s presentation of credentials to President Yoweri Museveni.
